National media grades Saints' 2023 NFL Draft
It was a crazy beginning to the offseason for the New Orleans Saints with having to solve salary cap issues, rework contracts, and bringing in quarterback Derek Carr. Once the Saints got their financial woes taken care of and added a few pieces in free agency, it was time to nail the NFL Draft. They […]
It was a crazy beginning to the offseason for the New Orleans Saints with having to solve salary cap issues, rework contracts, and bringing in quarterback Derek Carr.
Once the Saints got their financial woes taken care of and added a few pieces in free agency, it was time to nail the NFL Draft. They hit some key areas and got a sixth-round steal, so overall, it was a pretty successful three days for New Orleans.
Eric Edholm of NFL.com graded each draft class in the NFC South on Friday, and he's in the middle on what the Saints pulled off.
Grade: C+
The Saints focused on upgrading the front seven with their first two selections, then turned to help the offensive side with most of the remainder. Bryan Bresee was a tricky evaluation in that he possesses all the tools to be an excellent defensive lineman but had spotty production in college and carries a concerning injury history. But Bresee's hot motor and positional versatility, along with the surprising pop and explosion in his play, give him an excellent chance to thrive, with better health. Isaiah Foskey also was tough to scout, but for different reasons. He's an athletic marvel — nearly the perfect prototype for how you want an athletic edge to be built. But his tape was incomplete, with flashes of brilliance but too many stalled-out rushes. Foskey plays with full intensity, has had good sack production and even has been an adept kick-blocker, but he might need time to add pass-rush tricks to his bag. Finding RB help was important, given Alvin Kamara's off-field issues, and Kendre Miller was an interesting choice. He's a bit upright in his run style but has good thickness and sneaky wiggle and always seems to be falling forward. Miller could be an excellent complement as a first- and second-down back and can carry the load, as he showed in a gutsy effort (29 carries) vs. Kansas State. The Saints already appear to be planning for life after Andrus Peat and Cesar Ruiz, and Nick Saldiveri could help fill one of their roles at guard. He spent the majority of his time at Old Dominion at right tackle but might be more effective inside, where his range and recovery ability might not be as concerning. So, which are we going with: "Fresnola" or "Fresneaux State?" That's the question after the Saints drafted Jake Haener to back up Bulldogs legend Derek Carr. Either way, the QB room is vastly improved, and Haener's smart, focused, detailed approach could make him an excellent No. 2. Jordan Howden has solid backup written all over him on defense but could turn into a quality special-teamer. A.T. Perry was a nice late steal. He's a bit inconsistent catching the ball and doesn't have great play strength, but he does have the ball-tracking ability and red-zone skill to push Tre'Quan Smith for a job.
The Saints have several guys in this draft class that can make significant contributions right away. So, it'll be interesting to see if that gets New Orleans back to the playoffs for the first time in three years.
